From the time of the President's decision to invade and occupy Iraq, I have viewed this administration and the former Republican Congress as the most obvious and blatant real-life demonstration of how unbridled power and influence by the U.S. military industrial complex can so adversely affect the legislative and executive operations. President Eisenhower warned us about this danger more than 50 years ago. I am disappointed, but have been since the U.S. invaded Iraq, that most of the U.S. media have not been more critical and open in admonishing the president and former Republican Congress for giving up their offices and powers to corporate America and the military industrial complex. Is it that both the press and the president and Congress are fearful of biting the hand that feeds them?
It is patently obvious that Cheney and his corporate and military pals conjured up the scam of invading and occupying Iraq and its oil fields. This scam represents the unconscionable use of the federal government and the military for the purely private purposes of these corporate giants to get a foothold in Mideast oil and at the same time to rake off almost unimaginable billions of dollars in waste and fraud in "supporting the troops."
Meanwhile our military men and women believe that they are fighting for some kind of democracy. Say it's not so, but the Iraqi government just passed legislation to allow Iraq's oil to be sold on the open market. Therefore, who do you suppose engineered this quiet initiative and whose ships do you suppose are lined up at ports? Now the rationale is that al-Qaeda has a foothold in Iraq and Iran is supporting the insurgents. The U.S. has a foothold in the oil fields, which was the intent and purpose of the invasion and occupation in the first place. Therefore, if you are an Iraqi, and have watched your country nearly destroyed by the U.S. and in utter chaos caused by the U.S., which would you rather have -- al-Qaeda and Iran or the U.S.?
Is there any question or any doubt about why the president wants to stay longer in Iraq? You can hear the sucking sound, too, right? To these guys, our military men and women are just pawns and cannon fodder in their greedy world of unconscionable capitalism. Just like water and oil, capitalism and Islam don't mix.
Leon F. Cook
ADVERTISEMENT
Chandler, Ariz.
